The present invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for disinfecting and sterilizing fluids using an ultraviolet light source, and more particularly to a novel ultraviolet lamp which can be used in a water dispenser to kill micro organisms living in the water and on the water dispenser apparatus.
The use of ultraviolet light sources for sterilizing and disinfecting fluids is well-known in the art. A typical ultraviolet light source has two primary parts, the tube and the base. The tube usually comprises a soft glass or quartz casing which holds a vaporizable material, such as mercury, and a starting gas and/or stabilizing gas, such as argon, neon, zeon or the like. The tube also includes one or more electrodes, which when provided with power, excite the gas and the vaporizable material. The excited vaporizable material causes a plasma field which generates the ultraviolet light.
In addition to the tube, an ultraviolet light source typically comprises a base, which is designed to hold the tube in place during operation, but which allows the tube to be removed and replaced when necessary.
While ultraviolet light sources have been used for some time for sterilization purposes, a problem with the ultraviolet light sources currently known in the art is that they are fragile and typically cannot handle the harsh environments in which they must be used. For example, because the prior art ultraviolet light sources are made of soft glass or quartz, the lamps tend to break easily. In addition, because of the adhesive nature of the soft glass or quartz casing, residue and other impurities tend to build up on the lamps over time, affecting the performance of the lamp. Finally, the prior art ultraviolet light sources have a tendency to be expensive and difficult to maintain. Therefore, what is needed is an inexpensive, impact resistant ultraviolet light source, which can be used for sterilization purposes, can be easily introduced into existing systems, is thermally stable in cold or hot fluids including air, and does not require significant modification of the system.